Last year, Pearle Peterson got the call from Major League Baseball to sing the national anthem during the World Series. Going from singing in her high school auditorium to home plate in front of a sellout crowd was a major moment for the then-18-year-old — and she did, indeed, knock it out of the park.
So much so that she got a rare ask for a repeat performance. “Getting the news the first time was of course a total shock,” says Pearle. “Nothing could have possibly prepared me for hearing that twice.”
Pearle Peterson will give an encore performance of the national anthem during Game 2 of the World Series on Oct. 26.
“One of the great things about singing the national anthem is that I feel I really embody American perseverance because I am a Boys & Girls Club kid,” says Pearle. “When I’m singing the national anthem, it doesn’t feel so much about me. It’s everything my Club taught me growing up — you never walk alone when you’re a Club kid.”
A Dream Realized from Home Plate
Photo courtesy of Matt Nash (Sequim Gazette)
While her 2023 performance was a knockout for the audience, it was a real game-changer for Pearle, who says it was a life-defining moment.
“Even though I always wanted to pursue music, I was on a trajectory to go to law school,” she says. With just 10 days to prepare for her national anthem performance, she began to worry and question if she was ready for a stage this big. But when the moment came, she says it changed everything for her.
“When I was standing on home plate and singing, I felt all of those nerves go away, all the jitters. I knew this is what I meant to do with my life, that this is who I was meant to be.”
After that performance, Pearle decided to officially pursue music. She had her applications ready to begin her studies in law, and didn’t submit a single one. “The only thing I applied for was music.”
Now, Pearle attends University of Illinois-Champaign where she studies lyrical theatre as she pursues a bachelors degree in music arts.
Repping the Boys & Girls Club
Growing up in Sequim, Wash. (population 8K+), Pearle practiced singing in school musicals and at her local Boys & Girls Club. Her Club provided opportunities to perform from talent shows to singing at Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Conference in front of 3,000 people.
“I can’t imagine a life without the Boys & Girls Club. When my dad was working 12-hour days as a single parent, me and my siblings were at the Club,” she says of her second home at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula. “And we weren’t being ‘babysat,’ we were thriving. We had the ability to explore our interests and try new things. Having dependable meals at the Club was not just important to me, but when I was working in the Club as a teen, I saw firsthand how important that is to the kids there.”
What’s next for Pearle? She aspires to explore musical careers, including the possibility of Broadway or opera. She says, “I’m a small-town girl from a relatively quiet town, but when I’m performing, I truly feel larger than life. It’s a confidence boost you can’t find anywhere else.”
Until then, she’s preparing for her second World Series gig, and she’s excited to make it her best one yet. “I feel like I’ve been through the nerves before. So I feel like now I’ve just gotten to take the time to just be excited and practice.”
Boys & Girls Clubs of America is proud to partner with Major League Baseball to ensure today’s kids have safe places, caring mentors and life-shaping experiences at Boys & Girls Club, including experiential opportunities that create memories to last a lifetime. This year, will deliver the game ball to the mound during the World Series.
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